November 2016 Summaries

Git 2.11.0 introduces significant improvements to enhance both usability and performance, addressing issues such as abbreviated SHA-1 collisions and optimizing delta chains for faster operations. As repositories grow, the risk of SHA-1 collision increases, prompting Git 2.11 to scale abbreviation lengths with repository size and provide better tools to resolve ambiguities, including listing potential candidates for ambiguous SHA-1s and allowing configuration for preferred object types. Performance enhancements include optimizing access to delta chains by limiting their depth to 50 objects and improving the delta base cache, which results in a 10% performance boost on large repositories. Additionally, object lookups have been expedited through a most recently used (MRU) strategy for handling multiple packfiles, significantly speeding up repacking processes. The update also speeds up patch ID computation for git rebase, introduces an advanced filter protocol to reduce overhead in filtering numerous files, and includes various enhancements like a new diff algorithm and a more script-friendly output for git status. These changes, alongside other minor improvements, reflect contributions from over 70 contributors and comprise over 650 commits in total.

Git Merge 2017 is a prominent Git-focused conference scheduled for February 2-3 in Brussels, featuring a full day of technical talks and user case studies, alongside a day of pre-conference workshops for Git users at all levels. The event will host speakers from renowned organizations such as Facebook, MIT, and GitHub, and will offer workshops on topics such as workflow improvements and repository management. Tickets are priced at €99, which includes entry to the workshops and an after-party, with all proceeds going to the Software Freedom Conservancy. Sponsorship opportunities are available for those interested in supporting the Git community, and attendees are encouraged to RSVP promptly due to limited space in workshops.

The Octoplush collectible is now available in the GitHub Shop, offering a unique gift option for friends and family, although buyers are humorously advised not to feed these already "stuffed" octocats. In celebration of its launch, the GitHub Shop is offering a 30% discount on all items using the discount code OCTOCYBER2016, along with a promotion of free shipping for orders exceeding $30, valid until Tuesday. This promotion and product release were announced by Brandi Firestine.

The GitHub Extension for Visual Studio now includes support for Visual Studio 2017 RC, allowing users to clone repositories directly from the Visual Studio Start Page and featuring improved startup times for increased productivity. This update, version 2.1.1.0, is available as an optional installation for both Visual Studio 2015 and Visual Studio 2017 RC, and can be installed from the Visual Studio gallery or downloaded from the website. Initially launched last year as an open-source project under the MIT license, users can report issues and contribute to its development through the project's repository.

The GitHub Activity Book, featuring Mona the Octocat, encourages creativity by allowing users to "color outside the lines." This book, authored by Natalie Siskin under the pseudonym ZeroCool, is available for purchase in the GitHub Shop.

GitKraken, now included in the Student Developer Pack, offers students an intuitive way to manage Git projects across Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms with its user-friendly Git GUI. The tool provides a visual understanding of branching, merging, and commit history without requiring Git installation, featuring a built-in merge tool, syntax highlighting, and one-click undo/redo functions. Additional features include drag-and-drop merging, an easy-to-understand commit graph, and GitHub integration. Students in the pack receive GitKraken Pro free for one year, gaining access to enhanced tools like in-app merge conflict resolution and multiple user profiles. The Student Developer Pack offers free access to professional tools from companies such as Datadog and Travis CI, enabling students to experiment and build software without cost concerns.

Veteran's Day, known as Remembrance Day in many countries, is a time to honor military service members, and Operation Code, a nonprofit founded by ex-Army Captain David Molina, aims to assist veterans in transitioning to civilian life by lowering the barriers to entering software development. After Molina's personal experience with the limitations of the G.I. Bill, Operation Code was established in 2014 to provide veterans with online mentorship, education, and networking by leveraging open-source communities. The organization also advocates for policy changes to expand the use of G.I. Bill benefits for coding schools and boot camps, with Molina set to testify in Congress on this issue. Operation Code seeks to address the challenges faced by veterans, including unemployment and lower educational attainment, and aims to create a replicable model for global use. The initiative is supported by various ways, including scholarships, donations, and mentoring opportunities, and encourages tech conferences and code schools to participate in supporting veterans through education and employment opportunities.

GitHub is gearing up for AWS re:Invent on November 28, where they aim to connect with attendees and demonstrate how GitHub integrates with AWS to enhance code production and secure shipping. The event will feature a series of activities aimed at showcasing the synergy between GitHub and AWS, including talks by experts like Natalie Bradley from Accenture Federal Services and Matthew McCullough from GitHub, who will discuss how GitHub Enterprise and AWS support scalable DevOps programs. Attendees can also unwind at a TopGolf event on November 29, and have the opportunity to engage with GitHub engineers for personalized advice and live demos at the expo's Octobooth. GitHub invites participants to visit their booth for interactions and to collect some branded merchandise.

GitHub Enterprise 2.8 introduces several enhancements aimed at improving workflow efficiency and security for developers and administrators. The update includes a new Reviews feature that streamlines code review conversations and allows for more flexible workflows by enabling comments on specific lines, formal approval or change requests, and batch comments. Projects offer development-centric project management directly from GitHub repositories, facilitating task management with customizable columns and notes. Jupyter notebook rendering is now supported, allowing researchers and data scientists to visualize data-driven workflows within repositories. The release also enhances the contribution graph with a GitHub timeline to showcase achievements and milestones. For administrators, the update provides improved security measures like mandatory two-factor authentication and better visibility into LDAP authentication issues. Encouraging teams to upgrade, GitHub Enterprise 2.8 aims to refine team operations and secure software development practices.

GitHub is hosting a Patchwork round table session at The Next Web NYC on November 16, aimed at beginners to Git and GitHub as well as mentors willing to assist others in learning. This informal, hands-on workshop offers attendees the chance to learn through self-directed modules such as "Introduction to Git" and "Introduction to GitHub," with the guidance of GitHub staff and community mentors. The event, led by GitHub's Developer Marketing team, also includes insights into leveraging GitHub for recruiting top developer talent, emphasizing that no coding experience is necessary. Participants will gain practical GitHub skills, including making a pull request, and mentors have the opportunity to share their expertise. Attendees are encouraged to sign up for a GitHub account prior to the event, which is accessible and offers a relaxed environment conducive to networking and learning.

On November 17, a collaborative event hosted by GitHub and Ingressive will take place in Lagos, Nigeria, following the first day of the High Growth Africa Summit, offering participants a chance to learn about GitHub and Git through a hands-on Patchwork workshop. Held at Cafe Neo, the free event welcomes both beginners and mentors, featuring informal training, tutorials, networking, and giveaways, with no prior coding experience required. Participants will benefit from community mentors, gain practical experience by merging a pull request, and enhance their confidence to engage with the open-source community. Attendees are encouraged to register in advance and create a GitHub account, with food and refreshments provided at the wheelchair-accessible venue.

GitHub Pages has been updated to Jekyll 3.3.0, introducing several quality-of-life improvements, including new filters such as relative_url and absolute_url, which help ensure correct URL formatting regardless of how a site is accessed. The update automatically sets site.url and site.baseurl if they aren't already configured, simplifying URL management. Additionally, when running jekyll serve in development, the URL defaults to http://localhost:4000, resolving issues with loading local modifications. The update also optimizes build times by ignoring vendor and node_modules directories by default, though these can be included if necessary by adjusting the configuration file. Users are encouraged to check the Jekyll changelog for more details and to reach out with any questions.

Git Merge 2017 will take place on February 2-3 in Brussels, offering a day of technical talks and user case studies, along with pre-conference workshops for Git users of all levels, with prior RSVP required due to limited space. The conference aims to amplify new voices within the Git community and showcase innovative projects from contributors, maintainers, and community managers, making it a significant event for developers worldwide. Proposals for talks are being accepted until November 21, with notifications sent by December 9, and the event emphasizes a welcoming atmosphere as outlined in its Code of Conduct. Sponsored by various partners, Git Merge tickets are priced at €99, with all proceeds going to the Software Freedom Conservancy, and include access to workshops, general sessions, and an after-party.

GitHub has launched its own month-long game jam called the GitHub Game Jam, challenging participants to create games based on the theme of hacking, modding, and/or augmenting. Participants have the entire month of November to develop their games, which can be built for any platform or device, with the use of open-source game engines and libraries encouraged. The event is open to individuals and teams, with completed games to be shared on GitHub by December 1st. Submissions will be highlighted on the GitHub blog, encouraging creativity and community engagement. To assist newcomers, resources on Git, GitHub, and version control are available, and participants can engage with the community via the official Twitter hashtag #ggo16.